Zaheer Khan in Talks for Mentor Role

Zaheer Khan is currently in discussions with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to take on the role of team mentor. If these negotiations are successful, he may step into a position previously held by two key figures in the northern Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise.

The Super Giants have been without a mentor since Gautam Gambhir left to join Kolkata in 2023, and another vacancy has emerged following Morne Morkel's departure. Morkel, who served as the team's bowling coach for three seasons, is either already involved with or close to joining the Indian national team, just like Gambhir.

According to sources within the IPL, Zaheer Khan is being considered for the role that Gambhir previously held. Additionally, Zaheer is expected to bring his expertise to the Super Giants’ bowling department. He would also play a crucial role as a mediator between the players and the management, an important position given the franchise owner's strong passion for the game.

Zaheer was initially seen as a potential candidate for a bowling coach position under Gambhir's new leadership within Team India, particularly to mentor the young fast bowlers in and around the squad—a role for which he is highly regarded. Even during his playing career, Zaheer was known for mentoring and guiding the younger pacers in the Indian team.

However, Zaheer’s involvement with the Indian team did not materialise, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chose Morne Morkel for the role, likely on Gambhir’s recommendation. Despite this, Zaheer brings significant coaching experience from his time with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

In his potential new role with the Lucknow Super Giants, Zaheer would work alongside head coach Justin Langer and a strong coaching staff, including Adam Voges, Lance Klusener, and Jonty Rhodes. There are also rumors of another prominent coach joining the Sanjiv Goenka-owned franchise, though details remain unclear.

Zaheer, 45, had an illustrious career playing 92 Tests, 200 ODIs, and 17 T20Is for India, along with 100 IPL matches. He represented teams like Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Royal Challengers Bengaluru), and Mumbai Indians, playing his last IPL game in 2017.

LSG, which became the most expensive team in the IPL when it was bought for over a billion dollars (Rs 7090 crore at the exchange rate of that time) in 2022, reached the top-four stage in its first two seasons. However, they missed out on a playoff spot last year due to an inferior Net Run Rate (NRR).

Meanwhile, there is growing speculation that the BCCI will announce the retention rules by the end of the month. As previously reported by Cricbuzz, teams are expected to be allowed around six retentions, including the Right to Match (RTM) option. Although some franchises have pushed for the elimination of the Big Auction, the BCCI does not currently plan to do away with it.